


The Lark in the Morning

by Meddalarksen



Series: 30 AU Challenge - Natasha [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Familiar!Bucky, Familiar!Steve, Gen, Pre Sam/Natasha if you squint, witch!Natasha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-23
Updated: 2017-08-23
Packaged: 2018-12-19 02:54:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11888448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meddalarksen/pseuds/Meddalarksen
Summary: Natasha is a wood witch with two familiars who don't see eye to eye about people.  Sam's a traveler in need of repairs to his kit including a piece which raises a few questions.





	The Lark in the Morning

**Author's Note:**

> This story was nice enough to spring mostly fully formed to my head when I woke up this morning. The familiars can be blamed on my own two cats and their insistence between 8 and 9 every morning that they are in fact starving and how could I possibly still be asleep when that is the case? Unbetaed and the only editing done was a quick glance for line edits so I could actually manage to post it today.
> 
> Day 01-Fantasy AU

Natasha woke, muttering as she pushed Captain away and looked at where the sun was slanting through the window.  Well, at least he’d let her sleep well past sunrise today, though she took a guess that was because of Soldier.  A pointed meow from the door of her bedroom had her curling her hand in her pillowcase and debating throwing the pillow at the large brown and black cat in the doorway.  She opted to sit up and glare at him instead.  Soldier simply turned and left the room, leaving her half buried under the weight of the yellow tabby that had originally woken her up, “I’m coming, I’m coming.”

She got out of bed and grabbed a shawl, wrapping it around her shoulders as she went to feed her two familiars.  They were still being obstinate about staying as cats, just like they had since Captain had appeared.  “I had that order I had to finish last night.  You both know that, you were up ‘til after midnight with me for it.”

Captain just jumped off the bed and followed her, nearly tripping her as he wound past her ankles.  Soldier was sitting a few feet back from their food dishes and offered her a look.  _We make it on four hours of sleep_.

“Yes and I still have no idea what you actually are.”

 _We’re your familiars_ , Captain answered, his voice lower and more melodic than Soldier’s.

“You both know that’s not what I meant,” she said, filling their bowls and making sure they had water before going back to her room and getting dressed.  She had a number of basic orders and Soldier had been muttering the night before in a way that meant someone new might stop by.

Natasha didn’t really expect that to happen, there were very few travelers through the village down the road and even fewer who wanted her wares.  Most of the soldiers and knights who came by would prefer the work of the fairy blacksmith than that of a wood witch, even one trained by the Dark Knights and the Dark Witches of the frozen lands.  Men were idiots to be willing to risk the deals of a fairy over those of a witch just because they assumed she was a normal wood witch with nothing to do with their weapons.  She coiled her red hair up, pinning it in place and made her way out to her workshop where her cauldron and spells were.

Soldier fell in on her right and Captain on her left and she shook her head very slightly as they jumped up to their preferred perches.  Captain would be the first one people would see, watching her and the front door while Soldier blended into the shadows happily and kept an eye on the cauldron and the back door.  He always had, which was another reason she suspected he was more than a typical cat familiar, even if that was his current chosen form.  He had been with her since the frozen lands, changing shape and returning whenever her trainers had run him off.  His last change before his latest form had almost felt…. right in her mind.  It wasn’t something she usually thought much about but it was big, faster than the swiftest horse and winged.  It had been dark and he had been so big she hadn’t been able to get a full view of him that night they fled.

And then there was Captain.  A scrawny little kitten that Soldier came home with one day in his jaws.  Captain had been half-drowned and three-fourths starved and Soldier hadn’t hardly left his side even after Captain was able to walk on his own.  And then she’d somehow ended up with a second familiar who was bigger than her first in his cat form.  Captain always felt like something _bigger_ that decided to curl itself into a cat’s body for her comfort while Soldier felt like he did it for practicality.

She shook her head and checked on the cauldron she had left simmering overnight before decanting the potion for grace that the Lord’s wife and daughter would pay a pretty penny for.  She looked up at a low growl from Soldier, relaxing when she heard his _Dog_ warning.

Natasha turned in time to see a big yellow dog missing an eye go past the door, “That’s Lucky and you know it.  Clint must be out hunting.”  She started to clean out the cauldron, “It’s cold enough today.  Spelled knives?”

 _Shields_ , Captain said, but in that tone that meant it was a preference not a necessity.

“You always say that.  Knives are easier for me.  Soldier, you going to suggest?”  She looked over and startled slightly when she saw his focus entirely on the front door instead of his usual back.

 _Hawk_.

She started to turn around, “Clint?”

_No.  Bird._

Captain was also focused on the front door, crouched, his tail thrashing in contrast to Soldier’s complete stillness, _Good bird_.

 _Strange bird_ , Soldier argued, jumping down with a thud that was far too loud for a cat of his size and moving to perch just over Natasha’s right shoulder.

Just as he reached that position a man paused in the doorway, knocking lightly on the frame, “May I enter?”  The morning sun caught the mail under his traveling cloak.

 _No_. Soldier growled, _Smells wrong, not knight._

 _Yes, healer soldier_ , Captain shot back.

 _That’s not a thing_.

 _Is so, I can smell it_.  _Good man_.

Natasha blinked, realizing she’d been listening instead of answering for a moment too long, “Yes, come in.  How can I help you?”

He smiled as he stepped inside, and it was…a confusingly kind expression and softened his dark eyes even further.  As he stepped in a bird, a falcon, swooped in and landed on his shoulder causing Soldier to growl again.

Captain just settled down, curling his tail around his legs and letting his eyes drop half closed in the sun coming from the front door.

The man reached up to touch the bird’s chest, the movement pushing back his cloak enough that Natasha could see that it bore no crests, “I’m not sure yet.  I’m on my way through and I need some repairs done that I can’t do myself.”

Natasha paused at that, “Your name, stranger?”

“Sam.  And this is Redwing.”

 _Magic with the bird_ , Soldier said, crouching as though to spring.

 _Not bad magic_ , Captain said, and Natasha was almost willing to bet he was starting to purr.

“Natasha, and you saw Cap when you came in,” she answered.  “Now, why come to the witch of the wildwood?  There’s a blacksmith in town.”

Sam smiled again, “Yeah, when I mentioned I needed spells refit he sent me to the other end of town.”  His smile dropped and Redwing seemed to be preening Sam for a moment, “I don’t have dealings with fairies.  Not now.”

Soldier growled again, _Too much story_ _and not enough answers_.

 _He’s nice.  We have secrets too_ , Captain pointed out.

Sam looked toward Soldier, “And who’s the distrustful fellow there?”

Natasha blinked once, “Knight.”  That was the rule.  She could give her name, or a form of it, the one she thought of herself by, but no one knew her familiars’ true names.

“He doesn’t much like me does he?”

“Well, you leave a lot of questions unanswered,” Natasha said, smiling a little.

Sam’s eyes sparkled at that, “Something tells me you leave a lot of them too.  Like why when I left that second smith one of the women in the village pulled me aside and told me you could do what I needed.”

Natasha shrugged, “Because I can.  I do spellwork on weapons, usually knives but I’ve done arrows and swords as well.”

“It’s…a little bit more complicated than knives.  Though those could probably use a going over too.”

Captain was becoming more alert, and happier in her head by the moment even as Soldier was still grumbling.

“I’ll take a look.”

Sam unslung his pack, disrupting Redwing for a moment before the bird settled again.  Out of the pack he pulled four items.  Two beautifully balanced knives that could be used in offense but were clearly meant for defense, an unmarked shield which had Captain bounding over and pawing at it as though he wanted to curl up and nap on top of it.  The spells on that were warm but Natasha was willing to bet that it had more to do with the fact that they would be crafting, or recrafting, spells on it.  The last item though, Natasha hadn’t seen before.  Soldier hopped down, over her shoulder to get between her and it, his fur bristling as he circled and sniffed at it.

 _All magic.  It’s broken in the joints.  There was a bad fight, a bad fall,_ he hissed a little and backed off at that, Natasha burying her hand in his fur automatically which seemed to soothe him a little.

“What is this?”  Natasha asked, using her free hand to unclasp what looked like a latch on the item.

“I wouldn’t—” Sam started too late.

As soon as the latch was loose, a pair of wings snapped out, startling both Soldier and Captain and knocking Captain off the workbench.  He let out a disgruntled mewl and Soldier hissed again from where he had sprung to behind Natasha.  Natasha looked up at Sam and raised her eyebrow.

He looked sheepish and shrugged, “Sorry.  They’re damaged.”

Natasha ran her hands along the wings, the spells sparking against her hands, “I can try, but I can’t promise anything.  The knives and the shield I can do.  These?  These are different.  The magic has a metal feel to it.”

“All I ask is that you try.”

Natasha nodded, “You’ll want rooms in the Inn.  This could take me up to a week.”

Sam smiled at that, “Thank you.”

“Thank me with coin at the end of the week.  I’ll work on the knives first so you can have at least one of those with you tonight.”

 _Now get out_ , Soldier muttered, starting to groom himself.

Natasha glanced at him and then back at Sam, “Come by just before sundown and I’ll give you what I’ve finished.”

He nodded, “Thank you.  I’ll see you just before sundown.”  He touched his brow to her and Redwing bobbed in what could have been a bow before they both left.

Captain hopped back up on the workbench after they were gone, _I like him_.

 _You like too many people_.

 _You don’t like enough_.

Natasha rolled her eyes and let them bicker as she picked up the first knife to begin her work.


End file.
